Concerns grow as Opportunity remains silent

[UM-Bot 9,700]

It is looking increasingly likely that the recent Martian dust storm may have silenced the rover for good.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/320617/concerns-grow-as-opportunity-remains-silent

[RoofGardener 16,112]

Fingers crossed that it is just dust-choked solar panels making it slow to recharge ? 

Amazing that is has been going for 15 years !

[Almighty Evan 195]

[Grandpa Greenman 10,378]

15 years is a good run, you would be lucky if you get a car that will run that long.  Wait my car is 15 years old, its a Chrysler, though.

[fred_mc 446]

I think they should include wipers that can clean the solar panels in future rovers.

[acute 60,936]

Dust storm, or a Little Green Man with a hairdryer?  

[Waspie_Dwarf 16,247]

3 hours ago, fred_mc said:

I think they should include wipers that can clean the solar panels in future rovers.

As they will be needed when the solar panels aren't working how exactly are you going to power them?

[toast 15,682]

3 hours ago, fred_mc said:

I think they should include wipers that can clean the solar panels in future rovers.

To wipe the dust from the panels would scratch the panels surface, reducing its efficiency factor very fast.

[fred_mc 446]

1 hour ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

As they will be needed when the solar panels aren't working how exactly are you going to power them?

Well, when a dust storm is approaching, you have to make sure that there is enough power in the battery before entering hibernation mode, so that the wipers will work after waking up from hibernation mode.

[fred_mc 446]

1 hour ago, toast said:

To wipe the dust from the panels would scratch the panels surface, reducing its efficiency factor very fast.

Yes, but the wipers are supposed to be used extremely rarely, like after a dust storm. You could also have another mechanism than wipers to clean the solar panels, like blowing air on the panels to get rid of the dust.

Edited August 15, 2018 by fred_mc

[Bunzilla 55]

The Mars Rovers were... Erm. Considerably more expensive than a car though, to be fair. :P I had the same thoughts after one of the first dust storms they weathered; why doesn't they have a way to cover and or clean their solar panels? That seems like it'd be a pretty important feature to have on such a dusty planet prone to dust storms. I would say either allowing a rover to tilt its solar panels to let the dust slide off (which would have the added benefit of letting it tilt them to catch more sun), or blow them off. Maybe both. And I wonder if they insulated the batteries? It would be a shame if the Opportunity stopped working now. I just hope that any future rovers they make will be better able to tackle any of the problems they ran into with the current rovers. We still have the Curiosity though, right?

[pallidin 10,162]

IF it is over, it's been a good ride, dear rover.

Bravo on your extraordinarily extended mission.

My God, I'm talking like it was my pet dog. 

[pallidin 10,162]

It just needs a belly rub...

[L.A.T.1961 1,643]

It just needs some encouragement and positive vibes.

 

[paperdyer 1,589]

On ‎8‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 9:20 AM, Grandpa Greenman said:

15 years is a good run, you would be lucky if you get a car that will run that long.  Wait my car is 15 years old, its a Chrysler, though.

I'm sorry.  Was it only driven to church on Sundays?

[paperdyer 1,589]

Hopefully its run isn't over. But this brings to mind a new business opportunity.  Portable Rover washers which go to the Rover when it can't come to the washer. Of course a waster source could be an issue. Maybe we can just air blast the sand off.

Edited August 16, 2018 by paperdyer
Added to the post.

[South Alabam 6,594]

It was only supposed to last 3 months, and wind self cleaned the dust off rover.

[pallidin 10,162]

I'm crying. It's dieing.

I've bonded with that thing. It kept going and going and going. A real trooper.

This hurts.

Oh for God's sake, what is wrong with me?! Just a hunk of mobile composites controlled from Earth via orbiter.

But, but, it had feelings.

If it had a speaker it would be saying "Mommy, Daddy!!!"

So heart-wrenching.

Damn, I'm messed-up.

 

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by pallidin